Tag Archives: biotechnology

How genetic modification is done: 1. Agrobacterium

Posted on August 30, 2015 by argylesock

Genetic modification (GM, genetic engineering) for eukaryotes matters because we humans are eukaryotes and we use eukaryotes. As you know, eukaryotes have nucleated cells. Among the eukaryotes we eat angiosperms (flowering, fruiting plants), herbivores which eat them, and predators which … Continue reading →

Posted in knowledge transfer | Tagged Agrobacterium tumefaciens, bacterium, biotechnology, Bt crop, cotton, crop, eukaryote, prokaryote | 3 Comments

Biotechnology in Action

Posted on July 29, 2015 by argylesock

My column Biotechnology in Action will go live soon. I’ll promote each article – on the first day of each calendar month, starting September 2015 – here on WordPress.

Posted in knowledge transfer | Tagged biotechnology, knowledge | Leave a comment

New contact details

Posted on July 10, 2015 by argylesock

Hello after a year’s silence. I don’t expect to write Science on the Land for a while, perhaps nevcr, but soon I’ll be writing on Science 2.0. My new column there will be about applied biotech, working title Biotechnology in Action, … Continue reading →

Posted in knowledge transfer | Tagged biotechnology, knowledge | Leave a comment

Séralini’s rat-feeding trial (part 5)

Posted on July 15, 2014 by argylesock

Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini is a French scientist researching pesticides and GM (genetically modified, genetically engineered, GE) crops. A research paper from his team was published in 2012, retracted (withdrawn) in 2013 and republished in 2014. Here it is. This is … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, food, knowledge transfer | Tagged academia, America, biotechnology, corn, crop variety, Europe, food safety, genetic modification, glyphosate, grain, herbicide, herbicide resistance, knowledge, lab animal, maize, maize NK603, mammal, Monsanto, pesticide, pesticide resistance, plant_monocot, rat, research, rodent, Roundup, Roundup Ready crop, Séralini_Gilles-Eric, tumour, vertebrate | 1 Comment

New Séralini study shows Roundup damages sperm

Posted on July 13, 2014 by argylesock

Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini is a French scientist researching pesticides and GM (genetically modified, genetically engineered, GE) crops. He’s published a new study in which rats (Rattus norvegicus) were exposed to the world’s most popular weedkiller, Roundup (active ingredient glyphosate) for … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, horticulture, human health, knowledge transfer | Tagged academia, America, biotechnology, corn, Europe, farmer, food safety, gardener, genetic modification, glyphosate, grain, grocery, herbicide, herbicide resistance, human, lab animal, maize, maize NK603, mammal, man, Monsanto, pesticide, pesticide resistance, plant_monocot, poison, rat, research, Roundup, Roundup Ready crop, Séralini_Gilles-Eric, vertebrate | 7 Comments

America’s dwindling diversity

Posted on July 13, 2014 by argylesock

Here’s a graphic picture about the range of crop varieties available to farmers and growers in the United States. A range falling and falling between 1903 and 1983. Of course some of the now-extinct varieties will have been weak, but … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, horticulture, knowledge transfer | Tagged America, biodiversity, biotechnology, conservation, crop diversity, genetic modification, history | 3 Comments

Debating GM across the Pond

Posted on July 8, 2014 by argylesock

The biggest free trade deal in history is being negotiated now. If finalised, this will be the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA). A few hours ago I … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, food, knowledge transfer, money and trade | Tagged America, biotechnology, Europe, feed, food, genetic modification, grocery, internet, knowledge, label, law, livestock, politics, seed, trade, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership | 5 Comments

Séralini’s rat-feeding trial (part 4)

Posted on July 4, 2014 by argylesock

Posted in agriculture, food, knowledge transfer | Tagged academia, America, biotechnology, cancer, corn, Europe, food safety, genetic modification, glyphosate, herbicide, herbicide resistance, lab animal, law, maize, maize NK603, mammal, Monsanto, pesticide, pesticide resistance, plant_monocot, rat, research, Roundup, Roundup Ready crop, Séralini_Gilles-Eric, tumour, vertebrate | 2 Comments

Séralini’s rat-feeding trial (part 3)

Posted on July 3, 2014 by argylesock

Posted in agriculture, food, knowledge transfer | Tagged academia, America, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, biotechnology, corn, Dow, DuPont, Europe, food safety, genetic modification, glyphosate, herbicide, herbicide resistance, lab animal, law, maize, maize NK603, mammal, Monsanto, Paterson_Owen, pesticide, pesticide resistance, plant_monocot, politics, rat, research, Roundup, Roundup Ready crop, Séralini_Gilles-Eric, tumour, vertebrate | 1 Comment

Owen Paterson wants Roundup Ready crops in England

Posted on July 2, 2014 by argylesock

Helen Wallace at GeneWatch UK tells us that a committee within our UK Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA, headed by Owen Paterson), hopes to see Roundup Ready crops on English farms. Those are genetically modified (GM, genetically … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, food | Tagged biotechnology, corn, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, development, Europe, feed, food loss, food security, fruit, genetic modification, glyphosate, grain, grocery, herbicide, herbicide resistance, law, livestock, local food, maize, maize GA21, maize NK603, Paterson_Owen, pesticide, pesticide resistance, plant_dicot, plant_monocot, politics, precision farming, Roundup, Roundup Ready crop, soya, supermarket, sustainable, technology, trade, vegetable, weather, yield | 6 Comments